Airglow Observation and Statistical Analysis of Plasma Bubbles over China

Airglow observation is a very effective method to investigate plasma bubbles, and can obtain their horizontal structure. In this study, the image processing was used process airglow data, including enhancement, azimuth correction, projection, clear products of equatorial bubbles (EPBs) were obtained. Based on optical data imager in Hainan, we investigated main features EPBs, statistically analyzed occurrence EPBs from September 2014 August 2015. The results show that EPB exhibits plume-shaped structures, usually tilting westward, extends long distance along geomagnetic field lines. It found west wall relatively stable, while there are some bifurcations east EPB, bifurcation becomes more pronounced with time. Moreover, spatial scale gradually increases time, which about several hundred kilometers, drift velocity range 40–130 m/s (+/−20 m/s). statistical mainly occur months November February April, higher rate. terms seasonal occurrence, tend appear frequently spring autumn, rate low winter summer.